Business

Tincan Customs to raise bar on revenue, facilitate trade, discipline

Compt. Oloyede

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

Comptroller Kunle Oloyede, the Customs Area Controller of Tincan Island Command, Lagos has stated that he will stop at nothing to make appreciable progress in the areas of revenue generation for the nation, boosting trade and entrench discipline in officers and men of his Command.

Part of the expectation for bringing him to the command According to him was to improve revenue and facilitate trade, assuring that discipline level of his men must improve as he will lead by example.

Compt. Oloyede middle and his officers in a group photo with members of AMJON that paid him a courtesy visit in his office at Apapa

Comptroller Oloyede who made the disclosure recently when the executives of the Association Maritime Journalists of Nigeria (AMJON) visited him in his office at Tincan.

The quintessential Officer told the Maritme journalists that on his resumption at the command six weeks ago, he was given a daily target of N2.5 billion from the N1.5 billion it used to be.

He said, “The revenue as at the time I got here was 1.5b per day, so I was given revenue target of 2.5b per day, so I had the first parade and I told my officers three key things in no particular order, discipline, increase in revenue and trade facilitation.

“I am also in agreement with the WCO and the WTO article that says for West Africa and Africa generally, we should do low tax and high turn around time. When you have low tax and turn around, you make the revenue.

On the controversy over reduction in duty on imported used vehicles, the Controller who confirmed the reduction, states that such move was necessary to check smuggling of cars into the country.

Oloyede said he foresees duty dropping further as that would go a long way to make smuggling unattractive to the people

“Because when you check what is happening around, its those high values, high rate of duty that allows smuggling through our ports.

“Few days ago, the duty of vehicles dropped to 20%, government is looking at it that why will new vehicles pay 35% and old vehicles also pay 35% when after giving backwards integration incentives to most of these assembling plants, we don’t have plants that can really satisfy the demands of transport sector.

“I think that is why government in its decision decided to drop duty rate, We want to make smuggling not to be lucrative again that is the way govt is looking at it.

On revenue drive, Comptroller Oloyede said the management team of the command have started making moves to lure people back to the command to improve its revenue generation.

He commended his men and officers, saying it’s through their unweavaring efforts and stakeholders engagement

that revenue generation at the command has improved since he resumed.

“I can tell you, when we compare revenue from the time I came in up to now, we have over 25 billion extra export, compared to 24 billion it was before because I have been able to lure back people that are into bulk cargo. I have been able to convince them to come back to Josepdam

“I visited Josepdam today, I told them that my doors are open, the doors of my D.C. Enforcement, D.C. in-charge of bulk cargo are open,”

On discipline, he said, “I report early to work maximum 8:15 am, because its gross misconduct: lateness to office, sleeping, dosing and etc .

“When i came here, i said for us to make this revenue, we need to value time. its only in this climb that we don’t value time.

“That 8:00am to 10:00am that we stay away, we lose manpower, lose time. So with that, they keyed into my three points agenda, have had success, we have increase in revenue.

Earlier, the CAC admonished journalists on developmental reportage from well informed judgement of issues before going to the press.

He praised the group for carving a niche for itself saying he noticed that there is a difference in their reports.

“Yes you may have one or two but I always urged you to always ask from both sides before you go to the press, this will give you a very informed judgment about what we are doing.

“When we are contacted, there are certain things we need to correct the impression and there are certain things when we hear it, we need to apologise. We need to bring all parties to round table to solve problems.”

Comptroller Oloyede, a Civil Engineer joined the NCS in 1990 as a cadet officer. He has served at different capacities including D.C revenue Onne port.